Hillsboro Hops break ground on new stadium
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — It was a day some weren't sure would ever come.
On Thursday the Hillsboro Hops broke ground on their brand new $120 million stadium. It's a stadium that only became a reality due to the Oregon state legislature putting up the last $18 million needed with only six days until the Hops' MLB imposed deadline in March.
The final bonds that needed to be paid for the stadium were paid on the morning of the groundbreaking ceremony.
Ten people spoke at the event that was attended by hundreds, including president and GM K.L Wombacher and team owner Mike McMurray. Several other government affiliated people spoke as well.
Wombacher found himself emotional several times, including during his speech and after the event when he spoke to the media.
"A lot goes into it. It's a day and night," said Wombacher, pausing and trying to collect himself. "But we love what we do. We love the community. We love baseball. We love developing major leaguers. So, to reach a point like this, where we're going to build a dream venue for this community to enjoy, it's like the pinnacle of your career to be able to work on a project like this. We know the kind of meaning this venue is going to have to the community because we've been envisioning it forever, and we're so so excited now that people get to enjoy it."
The ballpark will be able to hold 6,000 for baseball games and 7,000 for other events, as it has been envisioned to host concerts and other community gatherings. In total it will be a 229,000-square-foot facility and will include a kids play zone and beer garden. Perhaps most importantly for Oregon residents, it will feature a 32-foot cantilevered canopy for protection from rain and sun.
The overall breakdown for funding includes $82 million coming from the team's ownership group, the City of Hillsboro contributing $18 million via lodging taxes, another $18 million from the state, Washington County providing $8 million, and the final $2 million from Explore Tualatin Valley.
As of right now, the vision is to have the ballpark open by Opening Day in 2026, which will be at the beginning of April.